The Renal Patients Association of Ghana has raised concerns about the recent surge in dialysis costs, which have increased from GH¢380 to GH¢491.
This hike follows earlier opposition from the association regarding a similar upward adjustment in expenses earlier this year.
Members of the association lament that this latest increment will exacerbate the financial strain on patients already struggling to manage previous bills.
Major Baffour Kojo Ahenkorah, spokesperson for the association, appealed to philanthropic organizations to step in to help patients while they wait for Parliament to reconvene on Friday to discuss the increase.
“It is going to affect us big time. One, we don’t even have the GH¢380, and people have stopped coming. I mean, they are not able to do their normal regular two or three sessions. And now if you move it to GH¢491, what is going to happen? Four or five people could not do their dialysis and they went home because they didn’t have the money so it is a big challenge to us. We just don’t know what to do now.
“We are being told that the new price is coming from Parliament. And because Parliament is on recess, we are waiting for them to resume, but we learned they are coming Friday for a sitting, so we are trying to get the Parliamentary Select Committee from the House to have a discussion with them, and then we will see the way forward. But before then, we are appealing to all organizations to support us because we cannot foot the bill,” he said.
This is not the first time a hike in dialysis cost has got many Ghanaians concerned.